4 ms·

Lots of completely irrelevant arguments that don't actually address the case in question which is very simply that EU can get $X billion out of Apple in tax and

Lots of completely irrelevant arguments that don't actually address the case in question which is very simply that EU can get $X billion out of Apple in tax and therefore they will because they can, period. There is nothing for the EU to gain from leaving those billions in Apple's pockets. Apple is not employing that many people nor is it contributing to the EU economy in any significant ways and if they pull out altogether it will only allow EU competitors to gain some market share. Moreover, unlike Facebook, Google and Microsoft, Apple does not provide any infrastructure critical services to any EU entities.

RobertoG 10y ago
I doubt the EU can get $X billion out of Apple. I bet they would like that, but, the fact is they tax in €. The European Central Bank, it's the issuer of €, they can, and they do, create the desire quantity of €X billion literally from nothing. The EU can't never be short of Euros. That's a fact. So, necessarily, taxing, and, in this case, sanctions, have other purposes.
spoonie 10y ago
You could probably argue that their resellers are earning money from Apple products' popularity. Resellers and broken screen repairers actually!
vixen99 10y ago
Purely as a matter of fact: given Apple's prices, why don't people buy those EU competitors' products then? Apple products contribute to Europeans' lives to the extent precisely measured by how much they're prepared to pay for them. Quite a lot it seems. You could say that the $14 billion or so represent votes for Apple: i.e., it's derived from money freely handed to Apple for something considered of value by the purchasers who have already paid 20% in VAT taxes. Worth pointing out that no detailed evidence or methodology on the Apple case has yet been made public by the EU. The courts will decide.

4 ms·

Lots of completely irrelevant arguments that don't actually address the case in question which is very simply that EU can get $X billion out of Apple in tax and

by lumberjack 10y ago

RobertoG 10y ago
I doubt the EU can get $X billion out of Apple. I bet they would like that, but, the fact is they tax in €. The European Central Bank, it's the issuer of €, they can, and they do, create the desire quantity of €X billion literally from nothing. The EU can't never be short of Euros. That's a fact. So, necessarily, taxing, and, in this case, sanctions, have other purposes.
spoonie 10y ago
You could probably argue that their resellers are earning money from Apple products' popularity. Resellers and broken screen repairers actually!
vixen99 10y ago
Purely as a matter of fact: given Apple's prices, why don't people buy those EU competitors' products then? Apple products contribute to Europeans' lives to the extent precisely measured by how much they're prepared to pay for them. Quite a lot it seems. You could say that the $14 billion or so represent votes for Apple: i.e., it's derived from money freely handed to Apple for something considered of value by the purchasers who have already paid 20% in VAT taxes. Worth pointing out that no detailed evidence or methodology on the Apple case has yet been made public by the EU. The courts will decide.